Refugee Week 2015
Refugee Week 2015 is upon us and we need to celebrate the courage of refugees and asylum seekers that are forced to flee because of persecution and other dire situations.
The theme ‘with courage let us combine’ represents solidarity and comradeship that endorse positivity. Asylum Seekers and refugees are misunderstood constantly amongst society and this needs to change in order to move forward and empathise without casting judgment.
The Uniting Justice Australia instills great compassion to human rights and justice for all and illustrates the importance of combing all our efforts to endorse a change.
Working together is the key
‘With courage let us combine’ is a great sentiment to extend mass reflection to refugees and asylum seekers as a humanitarian problem and not a numbers game.
This theme celebrates the courage of refugees who have refused to deny their beliefs or identity in the face of persecution, fled their homeland and often endured terrifying and dangerous journeys only to face the cruelty of detention before working hard to make a new life for themselves and their families.
If we all work together in the face of adversity and injustice, we could initiate further action through adequate policies that instill fairness.
Australians have come together to celebrate Refugee Week since 1986. It is an opportunity for all of us to engage in positive steps to welcome refugees and asylum seekers into our community.
The demonising rhetoric associated with asylum seekers and refugees need to stop. Education and awareness combined with Refugee Week will enact further awareness that will lead to a positive stance as a collective.
The inadequate offshore processing and detention of asylum seekers and refugees further needs to be examined.
A humanitarian perspective whilst combining a collective effort will lead us to celebrate the courageous effort of asylum seekers and refugees.
Therefore, in order for a positive change to occur, it starts with us as the force of change and this is what Refugee Week is all about.
Ariza Arif